Kloofing around

Today we went on our first field trip for biology to a game reserve near Durban. We hiked down into a kloof, which is the South African word for valley or gorge. Apart from being one of the coolest hikes I've ever been on, I got some quality off-campus time to stretch my legs and get away for a while (while at the same time being in class!). After we made our pb&j sandwiches and gathered our packs for the small day hike, we loaded up the van. We drove through Pietermaritzburg toward the coast, and eventually ended up at Kranskloof Nature Reserve, just northwest of Durban. We parked the van near a community park at the bottom of the kloof, crossed the street and began our short hike into the nature reserve. Like most hikes I've been on, I followed a meandering trail through a fairly dense forest, slowly making my way up and down hills. But eventually I began to hear the sound of rushing water, and knew that a stream must be nearby. As I came closer and closer, the sound got louder and stronger. I rounded the corner and I could see the top of a gigantic waterfall. Peering down from the edge of the kloof, I could see about 30 or 40 feet down a natural set of slippery rock stairs. The hike continued down into the kloof, and the waterfall went out of sight for a while, until we found ourselves at the very bottom of the waterfall. If there's ever been a kodak moment, this was it. The mist from the falls smoothly enveloped everything within 20 or so feet of the bottom, as the rushing white water stampeded down the mossy steps. I could have spent days there, soaking up the light mist and breathing the thick forest air. After a few dozen pics, we continued on our loop through the kloof, eventually ending up back at the park near the top where our van was parked. For a first field trip, I'd definitely say it was a success.